Kristina Pedder meets the well-wheeled members of an exclusive special branch of BSAC
CLUBFOCUS
Royal Automobile Club
Sub Aqua Club
Kristina Pedder meets the well-wheeled members of an exclusive special branch of BSAC
LOCATION: City Clubhouse, Pall Mall; Country Clubhouse, Epsom
MEMBERSHIP FEE: Full Royal Automobile Club membership( ages 31 +) £ 2,336 per year. To become a member you need to be proposed and seconded by two existing members.
CONTACT:! royalautomobileclub. co. uk
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BSAC special branch is a type of club with restricted membership, often associated with a workplace or organisation. In 2023, around 12 % of BSAC’ s UK members were part of a special branch; with figures rising to 18 % overseas. Why mention this? Because in 1982, the prestigious Royal Automobile Club, which was established in 1897 to champion motoring and motorsports, founded its own sub aqua club, a special branch dedicated to diving. More than 40 years later, the club continues to foster a passion for the underwater world. Let’ s explore how its members dive in style.
Where is the Royal Automobile Club?
The Royal Automobile Club operates across two locations. In the heart of London, Pall Mall boasts a historic, Grade-II-listed swimming pool over a century old, where we conduct most of our scuba skills training. Nestled in the building’ s basement, the warm, elegant setting provides a uniquely surreal training experience
Meanwhile, Woodcote Park, near Epsom, offers a country club atmosphere with golf courses, leisure facilities and a swimming pool. However, with most of our dive equipment stored at Pall Mall, training sessions are typically held there.
How does the club support diving activities?
The Royal Automobile Club generously supports all its activity groups, including the Sub-Aqua Section, allowing us to provide top-quality training and events for our members. In fact, you could say we’ re one of the best-funded BSAC clubs.
The famous RAC pool
Members in black tie for awards night
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